With school back in session, fall sports are in full swing and many of them have already had pre-seasons to prepare for the first matches of the season. The girls soccer team is no exception. They’ve been busy practicing and building team spirit since mid-August and are already midway through season.

The team expects this year to be partially a building year, understandably, as they have five freshman starting on varsity. 

“Our biggest issue is getting confidence on the field and playing against people that are twice our size,” said senior captain Laura Brodkey. This year they’re working towards “having people comfortable playing at a higher level than they’re used to.” Laura added that the team is focusing on “getting people to put in effort—whether it’s for five minutes or the entire game, knowing that every minute of effort counts.” And throughout the season, as players become more comfortable on the field, they can expect to see improvement in how they play together during games.

As they have in years past, the team is playing in AAAA, the hardest grouping in their division, and against previous WPIAL champions. The top four teams in the division will go on to the playoffs, and Allderdice is determined to beat Obama’s team to win their spot.

Obama is the team’s biggest rivals; they beat them last year on senior night, 4-1. This year they’ll come head to head on a dual senior night again. (Mark your calendars for October 16th!) When asked about the game, captain Laura Brodkey responded, “That’s our senior night and we’re going to beat them. We have to beat them.”

One of the favorite aspects of the team is their camaraderie and the fun they can find in every situation: minute-to-win-it games, the breaks between preseason practices, long bus rides en route to away games. “I really like the community feel. The whole team—we’re just all super fun friends, and I can go up to anyone and have a conversation with them,” said freshman Audrey Olmstead. The environment on any sports team is important, and especially so when the sport requires a large amount of teamwork. Players agree that the team has a great environment that’s welcoming and encouraging to everyone.

And even if they lose, they keep spirits up and play their hardest. “We’re putting in a lot of effort,” said Laura, “It’s always the next goal that’s the most important.” So no matter what happens, they’re always going for that next goal. The girls are currently led by a team of five coaches, both paid and volunteer, and two captains that are working hard to have the best season possible. It will be a tough season, but hopefully one full of success, hard work, and good times.